William Shatner, best known for his Captain Kirk Star Trek character and most recently as Priceline’s “Negotiator” dies in a firebus crash this coming weekend after saving all passengers aboard a charter bus. Shatner’s final words to the grateful passengers – “Save yourself! …some money!”

Of course we know better, Captain Kirk never dies, and he’ll probably just reprogram the commercial and live. After all, he never loses the Kobayashi Maru “no-win” scenario.

Well, it’s been one heck of a ride! But after the remarkable sixth seed playoff run and SuperBowl XLV win and going another 13 games undefeated, one loss to Kansas City and then a second string win over the Lions to cap the season, the wheels fell off last night.

There's No Crying In Football!

What a let down! The Packer’s arrived on their home field to take on the rival New York Giants and after a hard earned bye and with all their top starters in tact, they quickly began to crumble before our eyes. The loss was marked by an incredible 4 fumble turnovers (honestly should have been 5) and 8 dropped passes. It’s almost as if by script, the Falcons, Saints and Packers all lost by turning the ball over much more than they normally would.  The haters are out in full force today, gloating over the misery of the entire Packer Nation. So how do we deal with Football Depression? Usually we’d recommended drinking heavily, but that’s no solution…

Here’s our 7 steps to quick recovery after a season ending loss:

1. Remember it’s only a game, but if ya gotta let it out, let it out big fella!
2. Remember, 32 teams fight for the coveted Lombardi Trophy, all but 1 team will enjoy that success.
3. Get back to normal life. Put away the jerseys and the decorations.
4. Start an activity to take your mind off football, read a new book, enjoy another sport, start a diet or start working out.
5. Don’t dwell on the loss, it’s part of the game.
6.  Ignore juvenile remarks from gloaters or haters from other teams who think their words mean anything.
7. Start looking forward to next year by building your own Home Bar!

Finally, if you are a true Packer fan or even a bandwagon fan, remember that Green Bay has their four Lombardi Trophies safe and on display at the Packer Hall of Fame. Take a trip there soon to soak up the everlasting glory.

You may have some other way to get over the depressing days following a season ending loss, please feel free to share.

Finally – Good Luck to the final four New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49er’s and New York Giants.
Three of those four teams will soon be here, crying in their beer along with the other 31 NFL team fans.

Where’s the snow? That’s the question we keep hearing this year. It’s now January 4th 2012, yet here in Northeastern Wisconsin, we have nothing but a light dusting that today is melting quickly.  It’s about noon and my personal weather station indicates a balmy 34 degrees with mid 40′s forecast in the next few days. If you’re curious as to where snow may fall in the next three days, checkout this snow forecast site.

where is the snow? take advantage of the mild weather and build your home bar now!

Last year we experienced the third snowiest winter on record , but 2011 and 2012 already look to be the least snowy year on record. Good thing I didn’t buy that snowmobile this year! However, I did buy a SnowSport HD snow plow for my Ford F-150, maybe that’s the reason we have no snow! Seriously though, many businesses that reply on income from snowmobiler’s, winter sports or snow removal service are suffering and there is no snow in the extended forecast.

So where is the snow? Well it’s up there somewhere and it’s just a matter of time before we get that first big snowstorm. The nice part of all this delayed snow is that if you’re interested in starting a building or remodeling project, now is the time to take advantage of the dry roads, easy driving and mild temperatures.

A little more interesting information regarding the Sun and a possible future forecast for the planet…
Space.com has reported that the current La Nina pattern may be the result of the nearing solar maximum period where sunspot activity is at a peak level, creating higher than normal solar heat output. The unusually long solar minimum that started in 2004 and it’s associated cooler temperatures is predicted to be followed by and even lower period of sunspot activity that could extend into 2021 or beyond.  This low level of sunspot activity could rival the 75 year long Maunder Minimum that created abnormally cold summers back in 1645 to 1715 and was called the Little Ice Age. So, enjoy these warm spells while you can! Build that home bar now so you can enjoy the coming years of cold in the comfort of your own home. Cheers!

Happy Holidays 2011 from Barplan.com!
As we enter our 12th year in business, we’d like to wish all our customers and fellow bar builder’s a happy & joyous Holiday Season! 2012 will bring many new improvements to the membership site including several new plans for your home bar.  We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and remind you to please be safe & don’t drink and drive…that’s why you have a home bar!

Cheers from everyone at Barplan.com!

BTW – the bar shown with the Charlie Brown tree is courtesy of a good friend of mine, Doc James.  His amazing bar top is custom made of exotic laminate woods from around the world. The bar is located in the lower level of his home. Pretty nice place to kick back & relax. You can have a bar similar to this is your own home when you join the Easy Home Bar Plans website.

Be sure to check out our new Bar Supply Store with over 5,000 hard to find items for the home bar enthusiast.

I just picked up a whole tenderloin for only $5.99/lb and had no idea how to trim it properly.
This YouTube link will show you how to do it properly:

watch this video on Youtube

BTW: Sorry for the lack of postings in recent months – we’ve just been taking some time off for the summer. We’ll be back in a few weeks creating new stuff for the site. Hope you’re having a great summer too!  Cheers! – Barplan.com

Hummingbird webcam. Click the arrow to watch a time lapse video of the past 24 hours of activity. Notice the feeder fluid level drop as these combative little pilots fight for feeder supremacy all day long. Use the time lapse recording library to check out the entire summer.

Of course the females all get along, but the males are constantly starting fights.
Observation as of March 14 2011:
Four Females – Two males – a half dozen marauding Orioles.
March 15th: Replaced four hole feeder withe a six hole feeder. Moved four hole’r around the corner. Orioles are a major pest to the hummingbird feeders!
March 18th – many of the hummers have moved on…now it’s down to one pair. Have finally appeased the Orioles with grape jelly.
August 15th – we’ve had about three or four pairs and their broods feeding all summer. So far, we’ve gone through over 5lbs of sugar! One day we counted 13 at one feeder.
August  – September – sorry camera was down – needs to be reconfigured.
You’ve been getting the Kelly Lake East camera feed by default.

September 10th – as of yesterday the flock flew south. Went through 20 lbs of sugar and about a dozen jars of grape jelly through this summer.

September 18th – over the past week, we’ve seen a few migrating hummers passing through, even with night time temps in the low 30′s.
We’ll keep the feeders up for a few more weeks for any stragglers or until it freezes.

Click here to view the full webcam time lapse history.

Check our other webcams at Kelly Lake East and Kelly Lake West.

Saturday March 21st 2009 a Manitowoc Man walked into Bob & Geri”s Black Otter Supper Club in Hortonville Wisconsin to take on the massive 160 ounce Extreme Cut Prime Rib in one of the wildest encounters of Man vs. Food I’ve ever had the privilege to witness. The Black Otter Supper Club has been offering up prime rib challenges going back to the late 1980′s and nearly twenty years ago I myself had taken on and tackled the comparatively tiny 104 ounce King Cut.

The 160 oz. Prime Rib King

Movies have depicted Northern Wisconsin restaurants with lumberjack sized steaks, like the old 96′er which the late John Candy barely accomplished (The Great Outdoors, 1988) and which may seem obscene to health conscious folks in California or to New Yorkers who pay hundreds of dollars for a 6 ounce steak prepared by some fancy pants chef, but here in Wisconsin, the cholesterol challenge begins in the over 100 ounce club.

A mere 45 minutes after starting,  the challenger Andy Frank swallowed his last bite of the monster 160 ounce prime rib and was declared the winner and new reining King of Prime Rib!

Still feeling a mite peckish, Mr. Frank topped off this monumental task by polishing off his fried potatoes and salad. Shown above is a photo of the new King of Prime Rib. The 160 ounce Extreme Cut has been offered since 2003, but so far only 3 have conquered the mountain of meat. The 104 ounce wall of shame includes photos from hundreds of carnivores who have downed the now retired 104 ounce King Cut.

The legendary 160 oz Prime Rib featured at the Black Otter Supper Club , Hortonville, Wisconsin

UPDATE: we didn’t have a photo of the monumental mountain of meat at the time this post was originally published, but here is one from the Black Otter menu.

The biggest question in most peoples mind (besides is he still alive) is “wow! how many calories is that?”

Well, we’ve boiled that down for you in the following nutritional facts label that should accompany the plate.

These values were calculated using a 10 ounce serving  data for Prime Rib Steak. Keep in mind, the 160 ounce Extreme cut is “bone in”  and includes a pound or two of bone and fat which of course you do not have to eat.

Other interesting extreme eating videos:
Watch Furious Pete Czerwinski break the world time record for downing a sizzling hot 72 ounce steak in 7 minutes, a total of 10 minutes for potato & salad.

Nutritional Facts for the Black Otter Supper Club’s 106 Ounce Prime Rib:

Serving size: 160 Ounces

Calories: 15,569
Calories from Fat: 11, 376
Cholesterol: 2,976mg
Sodium: 52,528mg
Total Carbs: 149g (Hey it’s low carb!)
Fiber: 32g (but you’ll need more fiber to push that baby through!)
Protein: 848g

All calculations are based on nutritional data of a 10 oz portion and simply multiplied out.
Calculations do not take into account extra bone or fat content.

please feel free to post your comments…

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Usually we report on alcoholic drinks, but this post is regarding remedies.
As we get older or for those with poor dietary habits, sometimes a little fiber is needed to keep things sailing along smoothly. This is a report on a remedy that sadly is no longer available.

What happened to Equate Fiber Therapy?

For most people, a hard night of drinking and greasy food can leave your head aching and your innards trashed…

Fortunately (for those of us in the over 40 crowd) a dose of fiber can get you cleaned out and right back on track.

Unfortunately one of the best values in fiber therapy products is now off the market.
Equate Fiber Therapy was available at most Walmart stores for less than half the price of the leading brand (Metamucil). This popular alternative will not be returning to store shelve any time soon.

You’re probably wondering what happened to Equate Fiber Therapy?

We contacted the manufacturer of this popular Walmart brand and they replied with the following response:

“Thank you for contacting the Perrigo Company with this inquiry.

The Perrigo Company has discontinued the manufacture of this fiber therapy product. This product was discontinued because it was a very expensive product to make and it could not be sold at a price that would cover those costs.

We do manufacture a fiber laxative caplet which we supply to Walmart. This product is just as effective as fiber powders and gentle enough to be used on a daily basis.  If you require a powder formulation, I would suggest you consult the pharmacist at your local Walmart regarding the availability of a suitable substitute.

Please feel free to contact us if you require further assistance.”

Sincerely, Perrigo Consumer Affairs

So there you have it. Equate Fiber Therapy has been discontinued.
It’s the end of a gastronomical era.

I’m wondering why they didn’t simply increase the price to make it profitable?
If anyone can add to this story, please post your thoughts…

Getting stuck in a rut with commercial brand beers is easy to do, but when the price of your favorite suds jumps from $12 to over $16 in a few short months, it’s time to look around for an alternative brew. Recently a friend turned me on to Boxer Beer made by Minhas Craft Creek Brewery in Monroe Wisconsin. I was skeptical at first but after trying it and discovering the $11 per 36 pack price, I was sold. Boxer Lager has 5% alcohol and will stand up against Miller and Bud products any day. Check it out next time you’re on a Beer Run.

Watch the short video below for more information on Minhas Craft Brewery.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkHS60-xmcA

Boxer Beer Links:

• Canada – http://www.boxerlager.com/index.html
• USA – http://www.minhasbrewery.com

With fuel prices reaching all time records, many people are beginning to complain that energy costs are just too high. Well, it’s really no big surprise that energy costs continue to skyrocket when people keep ignoring the importance of something as simple as recycling. Most think “what good are the few cans I just threw in the trash?” or “my recycling effort won’t make a difference”. Unfortunately, that kind of thinking is exactly what keeps costs climbing.

saving aluminum helps reduce our nation's energy needs

Did you know that in the United States alone, we throw away enough aluminum cans EACH MONTH to rebuild every commercial airliner in the country? That’s a shameful waste.

The solution is simple.  If you have a local residential recycling pickup, use it! If not, bag your aluminum cans and save them for your next trip to town, then drop them off at the county recycling center or cash them in at a recycling depot or machine.
You might also find a local Boy Scout chapter or church that will gladly accept and process the cans for you, making a little money for themselves in the process.

Aluminum prices are on the rise with one pound of scrap aluminum cans now fetching nearly a dollar, and the price is rising fast!
That might not sound like much, but add it up and you might be able to offset the higher price of gasoline simply by cashing in your used beer & soda cans.

Throwing used cans in the trash is like throwing away good money and the energy future of your country. That would be like walking around with a hole in your pocket, and your head…
If you run your own home bar, the money you save can be reinvested into fresh bar stock.

Entertaining at your own Home Bar can also serve up money savings. At current prices, a$3.50 can of beer at the local corner bar costs you only 67 cents at home! Mixed drinks save even more. Learn How to Build a Home Bar using our easy to build plans.

Here are some great resources to help you recycle and save!

Here are some useful site links to help you with your recycling needs.

• Earth 911 – Locate recycling centers near you.
• The Aluminum Association – where to recycle.

Let’s stop our wasteful ways by recycling aluminum cans, metal cans, glass, plastic, paper and cardboard. Recycle and keep useful resources out of your local landfill. If you know of a recycling center or aluminum can RVM  (Reverse Vending Machine) location in your area, please post it in a comment below.